blogging on broken glass

Hello Friday Mcnasties! Do you like how bloggers all try to put this amenable, approachable bullcrap on you like the second you load their blogs oh, you’re doing quirky voice today eh we’ve got a funny guy on the loose here. Well, it’s raining today so wtf else are we going to do here? I’ve uploaded a ton of pics so just be quiet and listen for once please thanks!

I don’t think I had washed my hair for a few days before hitting up our Brass Vixens shoot last Sunday and getting across town during the waterfront marathon was absolute HELL ON EARTH. Why do you have city marathons interrupting city people tryna do their city shit for!? Seriously, please go run in more acceptable places like RUNNING PATHS or FORESTS, MOUNTAINS, SHORELINES, SIDEWALKS… OMFG you cause so many domestic disputes and accidents, road rage, delays, trouble etc for everyone else when you do your stupid selfish charity runs. Just donate the money and call it a day cos donors believe y’all when you say you’ll run for the cure or whatever it is. Running doesn’t cure cancer it causes cancer. There I said it.

This was taken on Thanksgiving weekend and a Little Raymi jazzed it up for me.

This is called Lyra. It’s a combo of aerial and hoop. Circus stuff. Lyra is the hottest craze of all the alternative dance exercise on the market right now and it’s actually sort of easy if you were a monkey on the jungle gym growing up. It’s great for poses and beautiful photos. You should see how the other Vixens do it, they move like fairies made of bendy magic it blows my mind.

Will be doing more of this for sure!

Hey down in front.

Yes alright fine I like birds okay lets not make a big deal about it.

Birds and sunsets if that’s fine by you. I have a colleague who is a (raging nerd) “birder” and every time I so much as post or like anything bird-related he razzes the shit out of me for it. God forbid I like a beautiful video of swans landing in slow motion this bro will immediately invite me to go bird-watching with him and shit hahaha. It’s been 6 years. When we reach 10 I will consider it. I love nature and animals as much as the next person but I don’t exactly feel inclined to grab binoculars and sit in the cold watching something with a beak flap around. Birds are pretty straightforward in my opinion. They have wings, they fly and can crap on you. The end. Oh, I have been dive-bombed by a couple of birds before too which is terrifying lol.

Okay we get it.

We were cast in a thing together over the weekend don’t know if it’s a tv show or a movie but if you think really hard about it you could probably figure out what the production is. A classic. I’ll get sued if I say anything else.

I’ve seen a few plays here. The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre is an historical, beautiful theatre it’s nice to go there for absolutely free and snoop around its exquisiteness.

A gas leak was afoot down the block from it so felt a little PTSD.

I love Vaudeville. *Googles what vaudeville is*.

I posted some bathroom selfies to be more covert about our location. I’ve seen other cast full-on putting location on blast on other shoots I’m talking IG stories to snapchats and major selfies. It’s harder to police that these days. On another production I did we were going to snitch on a girl as a matter of fact cos we heard she was instagramming fight scenes and integral plot points like WHAT!??! But then we saw she had like 11k followers and it was a private account we didn’t have access to. You get bored and start to go crazy on a seventeen hour shoot. That was the one where my phone went in the pool. Instant karma I guess. Shit like this always happens to me lets be honest so whatever.

In the movie business shockingly, you will meet a ton of awful (and awesome) people. Selfish divas who never made it. Actra people get treated like the sun shines out of their assholes. You recognize some of the same people the more things you do and there’s a few stand-outs I enjoy studying from afar. Like the one guy who ALWAYS LOSES HIS TEMPER and blows up at the room, yelling at us for some answer we don’t have nor are obliged to say and so no one answers him. He lost his cool at lunch time once and then later on tried to be nice to me I was like, nahh.

Another time a lady full on smashed my foot with her heel and I noticed a nice nickel-sized bruise on the top of my foot the other day from that. No one is ever paying attention either, they’re always talking over the directors or AD’s and I do not hesitate to shush the fuck out of them because it keeps us all there longer.

Acting is all about working as a team with so many weaker links. Even though I am a n00b I do not take any shit for example, a chick tried not to let us have the empty chair beside her the other day and guess how well that went over for her? When people think they can get away with rudeness ahh helllll no *removes hoop earrings*.

It’s a competitive industry too as you can imagine so you have to place yourself in a spot you anticipate they will be filming once they call action. I luck out most times by how I look and being tall and just dominating as much space as I can without being desperate. You will definitely see me in like 95% of the stuff I have filmed. There is only one thing I did where I didn’t care as much and happily fell back a little. Earlier shoots are like that. Sleep deprivation kills me above all else.

Whimsical! Click to enlarge.

 

A woman asked me if my glasses were real in the bathroom at one point. Yes. These are REAL glasses. She meant prescription. I said YEP. Then I had to say YES 3 more times and say they were reading glasses (but I do have perfect vision, they help me) and then put them on her face so she could tell. Another woman walked in and mean-girl dissed me by saying those glasses look GREAT on you. The first lady became embarrassed and took them off, passing them back to me I pointedly said thank you, they are $400 Christian Dior glasses and they look great on anyone. BURN. The lady was gobsmacked.

I know what she thought. I was just some poor hipster poser rocking fake frames then I came at her with KNOWLEDGE. They’re from Oakville from a client of mine called Next Optical. Bye. We were all in our black tie wear. See how competitive people are for no reason? Especially older women. It happens all the time. I am a threat I know it. Deal with it or leave. I took it as rudeness because she approached me with arms out as if she was going to take my glasses off my face from the get-go and pop them on hers just to see if she looked pretty in my glasses which she assumed were just costume accessories. Yeah, no, back off.

Please pray for my cousin. She’s not sick she just look like a Lego.

ha.

Went to The Mandarin with his folks last week. It’s their thing. We drove all over town afterward with them hitting agencies collecting checks during rush hour traffic. It was bonkers and we can all laugh about it now.

A side-by-side of my new niece and I.

Twerk class a couple weeks ago. I gave this very shirt off my back to Tash in class cos she was dying in her 3/4 length sweater why did she wear that I dunno but I miss my shirt now oh well I have a purple one still. I prefer to be generous instead of greedy if I can help it.

My hair was ten times rattier after class. I love twerking. It’s scandalous. Isolated movements in dance are hot.

Loving my new phone and its gaudy case. The camera is better than the one on my last phone.

Working way through Kitchen Confidential. Anthony Bourdain is the man. He has the best life and I am going to learn how to do the same by studying his book.

I already know a lot about the food industry, the booze industry and man I’ve got stories and no I ain’t saying I’m an angel. Which reminds me I have made a breakthrough with another publishing house! IT’S MY YEAR BITCH.

How many silly goals in life have you set for yourself? One of mine (or several) is to be acknowledged by my idols. Anthony Bourdain is one of them. Maybe my SEO skills will bring that ol bastard my way. Another way is to get mega-famous, yourself.

Went for sushi the other night and had the best time ever had there becoming Beaches locals now, recognized and adored. There I said it. Met a sake sommelier here too.

My second meeting with a new agency went pretty good! As in they’re sending me a contract. Everytime I try to work in fields that aren’t my true calling (like the service industry) it doesn’t pan out for very long. I am a genius lets be honest and my talents get wasted slinging cocktails lets be honest. It’s like Bill Gates working at Mconald’s like please stop. So I am glad I get to be a freak of nature in an office setting again and use my godgiven social media talents. It is personally rewarding to work as a professional in your very own field of BLOGGING that you have lived and breathed since you were seventeen. Pride comes before a fall so I will shut up now.

Big fam jam parties all Thanksgiving weekend long I am glad I can get back to periodically starving myself again and slimming out okay that’s all for now bye bye!

Ring Girl at Hogtown Live Wrestling in Toronto

live wrestling in Toronto - socktoberfest

Played a bit part in some thrilling sports theatre on Sat Oct 1st 2016, when I appeared as the official Ring Girl (ring person?) at the Hogtown live Wrestling event in Toronto at the Super Wonder Gallery on Bloor st W in Toronto. This was a bit like being a cat in room full of rocking chairs… I had to keep one eye on the action, but most of all I just worked hard just staying out of everyone’s way.

Live wrestling needs Ring Girls to fetch discarded costumes and props and hold up signage showing the match number and wrestlers’ names etc, and I got the call because I have experience doing it! This is my third appearance as ring girl but the other two times were for boxing matches.

Wrestling is different. The guys are more colourful and way more into themselves and their characters.

wide angle of the wrestling ring at Super Wonder Gallery

Not many of them even noticed me, except to tell me to move, or ‘watch out!’ . But I added to the excitement in my own way.

Raymi reocking the wrestling ring at Hogtown Wrestling in Toronto

The Super Wonder Gallery added the colored lights and stocked the bar with beer and whisky and were very generous (to me) with both. It was a good atmosphere, and everyone had a real good time. The people who came in off the street couldn’t believe it – the show is really exceptional. It’s well written and full of dramatic stunts, high falls, slaps and barrel rolls.

Raym the Minxi with wrestler's costume at Hogtown Wrestling event in Toronto

The matches were exciting and kept everyone pretty much riveted to their chairs – nobody knew the outcomes except maybe the wrestlers! Haha no honestly I couldn’t tell if it was real or scripted. When I asked one of the guys backstage he changed the subject and started asking me about my wings – it worked. i talked all about my wings.

Raymi the Ring Girl watching wrestlers at Hogtown Wrestling

Frankie from Amicos late night pizza Toronto posed with me at the ring- its part of a Ring Girl’s contract to pose with sponsors, plus Amico’s Pizza is delicious and I’m going to have a late night party there for my blog peeps this winter.

Pizza Toronto Raymi wih Frankie from Amico's Pizza with Raymi the Minx at Hogtown Wrestling

Rob Campbell wrote about collecting Toronto wrestling posters after I saw him at the show; he paid three bucks each for these posters (they’re not even that old) and thinks they’ll be worth a mint in a few years. Maybe they will now that I posed with them!

raymi with werestling poster

Hung with the wrestlers out back and got in the action when they were recording videos and taking pictures. I suppose the longer i hang around, the more they’ll work me into their drama but honestly if there’s even the smallest chance I’ll get an elbow in the face then I’m out.

Here I am – divide and conquer.

Raymi separates the wrestlers from their fan girl

The costumes are great – I met the girl who made some of them. Designer Lori Peltonen aka Monster Muffin aka Muffin aka Muffy.

Designer Lori Peltonen aka

Monster Muffin aka Muffin or Muffy. She came and sat ringside and watched the whole show. Later I found out she’s a roller derby star and skates with Team Ontario, Toronto Roller Derby All-Stars and The Chicks Ahoy.

I wish I knew more about the backstories of the individual wrestlers. Before the next match I hope to watch some of the Rogers TV shows and get a bead on who everyone is and what they did before and where they stand in the rankings. You get out what you put in, and I like the vibe here.

Live wrestling in Toronto

Come out on Nov 11th to the next show – Super Wonder Gallery

 

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What Would Raymi Do

Once in awhile, I use my brain for what it’s good at: persuading people that I am talented, smart, right, and good looking. In any of that order. And so. I was just recently asked my opinion on a matter. I figured why not share it with you guys too and launch a new Raymi the Minx blog feature entitled: WHAT WOULD RAYMI DO in the process. Good? Great.

Hi Raymi,

I just wanted to ask your opinion on this, do you usually see writers get refused for interviews and what does one usually do?

Attached along with this Question are a few emails that I will not disclose here but basically the question is pretty straightforward so I’ll just go ahead and answer it now. Here’s what I think.

It can happen. You need to use the right non-threatening albeit apply some pressure tone before you lose their interest and get ignored. Finding them on social (twitter/FB/LinkedIn) and approaching via that route helps cover some bases. Personally when reaching out and trying to get a response I go into it assuming I will get a YES from whomever I contact. You need to highlight the benefits first for them – why they want to make time for your needs. Do they get exposure or leads… appeal to their ego and be flattering so that they can’t help but want to be interviewed/profiled.

Basically, having a novice reaching out you will experience some hiccups if they don’t have the right PR style or know-how. People have a sense for amateurs. If the one writing the email/pitch can’t sound enthusiastic or exciting it’s hard to persuade the receiver to get on board. Then again, some are hungrier than others out there. I have seen handlers and management barring access to talent through email volleys going through multiple (accredited/connected) channels and still never get their mark. So, don’t be dismayed. It takes practise, persistence and someone who can write to get that interview. Make it as easy as possible by providing the questions ahead of time so they can answer at their leisure and circle back by the deadline you give. Bribe if necessary. Offer them the floor for 5 minutes at your next networking mixer? Lol. Hope this helps.

And there you go have a nice day.

can you smell what the blog is cooking

Hello glorious people of the world. My colleague thinks I am doing the RTM version of Hogtown pro wrestling coverage here rn but I’m not. I just “can’t” today. I need to do something more artistic than that just saying! Lets wrap up the last week of my life or whatever’s clever, yeah? Yeah!

My mother recently said I was a hyper-active child that needed to be stimulated at all times. I knew this but I did not know this. This information would have been useful to know several years ago for sure. I can’t sit still it’s true. I flit! I am always hunting for my next big fish, something to focus on and give all my energies to. Unload aaaaaaaaaaall my passions into. I’m a lover I really am. A clingy, stalky, obsessive compulsive, fixater. Non-stop thinker. A wise guy. Yesterday Julian and I were painting and jamming out in general in our room together. Then I started lifting weights while he stared deeply at his painting with brushes and paints scattered everywhere. I asked if we were acting out being in jail. What that would be like. Doing every creative thing together as possible to avoid going insane. Eating. Drinking. Smoking. Dancing. Laughing. Netflix. Gambling. Video Games. Julian’s Dad says we live like rats lol. When we visit there he hates it if we sleep on the couch.

I get glimpses of these bohemian moments of my life and it’s everything I ever wanted but it is also jarring as in WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!?? I watch old films like a Ghostworld cliche and I study the faces of actresses and compare all the lines and appearances of age in mine to theirs. Plotting botox and more sleep. Dieting. Well I guess that part is normal. Everyday there is something in your face about aging ranging from desperate to scary. I try to transcend it and not care. It doesn’t really gotta matter cos this party don’t stop.

Every single job I have more or less revolves around beauty and self image. Being hot and clever. I act, I perform, I approach strangers with a phony smile to get their data while they blow smoke in my face cos they’re blasted and it’s witching hour.

Had a good meeting yesterday. That’s all I will say for now!

Ordered killer rice and tacos. It was all excellent. Shout out to Grillies.

Protip. Wear the dress from one job to land another. BOOYAKASHA!

We went out to eat at the steak house and as you can tell I have trouble letting go of summer BUT I am transitioning into fall okay doke. I love how brands offer TRANSITIONING into a new season guidance like you can’t figure out to put on pants by yourself and a sweater. “Everybody in trench coats!” OMG emergency.

My legs looked extra long I felt you should see too.

I wore my black pumps for the funeral then uglied it down with these bad boys for comfort.

People seemed to dig my vol au vent story on FB so here we go…

I finally had a vol-au-vent (pronounced [vɔlovɑ̃], French for “windblown”, to describe its lightness. I learned about this frenchy dish while doing copy for TH when they launched a vol au vent on their Quebec menu and henceforth always wanted to eat one. Last night we had a 5 star version at Love Me Tender Steakhouse. Divine.

We had scallops. I forgot to tell Julian about the time in Maine when my ex had scallops during the superbowl and we think he got red tide omg why am I saying this now lol. Anyway it was scary af.

I hate when I am trying to take pictures and people are lurking around you have to pretend you’re not dying inside from humiliation but the sun is hitting your hair just so blah blah… I walked home from my meeting it was conveniently close-ish to ma hood. I was an empowered business lady I will have you know.

Orderd off the kids menu the macaroni bites. Did not know they came with fries. We pigged out.

We had a delicious time.

I am doing lots of exercises now. I am owning my lazy juicy figure but I am also recklessly abandoning it that’s what’s upppp!

We periodically frequent this french place nearby but I am gonna put the breaks on that cos it’s dumb to go somewhere just cos you like their 14 dollar glass of Mcmanis (it’s so good though) but you can get a whole bottle for $20 at the lcbo. Anyway need to cut the wine snob shit down a bit.

However their spicy caesar is amazing and half the price. Julian can have two to my one glass of red haha.

These ghost streetcar tracks posed ornamentally at a nightclub are a metaphor.

We are planning to do a show together.

We took the Danforth way home I forget why but stopped here to eat. The blackened potato salad is unbeatable.

He forgot to rim them.

Liked his truck. Bad ass. Julian and I both have secret agent complexes which military and cool shit like that fall in line with. We are both dramatic, into cinema. Loud characters. Lots of energy. Creative types you know the sort.

I need to go make dinner and slice some cucumbers now y’all so ttyl for meow.

TO BE CONTINUED.